Dogs trust jobs

Do you have strong administrative skills and want to make a real difference?

At Guide Dogs, we believe that every person with sight loss should be able to live the life they choose. As a Legacy Case Administrator, you will play a crucial role in helping us make that a reality by ensuring the smooth and accurate administration of legacies. By using your skills, you will contribute to one of our most significant income sources, allowing us to continue providing life-changing services.

You’ll play a key role in managing estates left by supporters, handling a caseload of legacies with professionalism and empathy, especially when engaging with bereaved families and next of kin. Your attention to detail will ensure all correspondence and legacy receipts are accurately recorded and efficiently tracked using legacy case management software. You’ll also manage the Legacy Case Team inbox, supporting case handlers by allocating new cases in line with policy. You'll continue to expand your knowledge, staying up to date with changes in probate, legislation, and best practices to contribute to the ongoing success of the Legacy team.

No two people with sight loss are the same, and none of our people are either. So, we are proud to offer a range of person-centred benefits that can support each member of staff in ways that really mean something to them – and show them how much they mean to us. We offer a flexible benefits package, discounts and cashback scheme, a generous holiday allowance and matched contributory pension scheme to care for our people.

This role will be based on site at our Reading Hub in Burghfield, working closely with the Legacy Team. You’ll be working 35 hours per week, worked 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

How to apply 

Further details on the full role are attached below. When you are ready to apply, submit an online application form via this page.

If you require any accessibility support to apply, our friendly recruitment team is ready and waiting to help.

As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description. You will also be asked to complete a few job-specific questions as part of this application process, so please be prepared to write your answers to these questions.

If you want to know more about the teams who work at Guide Dogs, you can find it on our Careers Page

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are proud, whenever possible, to offer an interview to all candidates that meet our selection criteria, and who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident interview commitment. For more details, visit our careers site.

If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier; in addition, we cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Safeguarding

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment.

At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually, taking into account the nature of the offense, its relevance to the role, and the time that has passed since the incident. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.

Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.

For high volumes of applications, we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than advertised.

Do you have the skills to empower families and help children and young people with sight loss achieve their fullest potential? As a Family Outreach Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting families navigating the challenges of vision impairment.

Based in the Paediatric Ophthalmology Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, you will work closely with Ophthalmologists and clinical staff as a vital part of the team. This role will be supported by an Honorary Contract, requiring you to adhere to the values, policies, and procedures of both Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Guide Dogs. You’ll work 4 days per week in the hospital, supporting the Paediatric Ophthalmology Clinics from 9am to 5pm, with the flexibility to work from home for 1 day per week.

Within this role you will:

·Provide Support in Eye Clinics: Assist parents of children and young people in an eye clinic setting, offering both emotional support and guidance.

·Offer Information & Guidance: Deliver expert advice on health, education, welfare, and social care, ensuring families are well-informed and empowered to make decisions.

·Collaborate with Professionals: Liaise with internal and external professionals to ensure coordinated care and support, facilitating smooth communication across services.

·Handle Registration & Referrals: Complete necessary paperwork for registration and refer families to relevant Guide Dogs services, as well as statutory and voluntary agencies for further support.

·Support Funding Applications & Clinical Staff: Assist families with external funding applications and provide support to clinical staff with any related enquiries.

·Promote Guide Dogs’ Services: Raise awareness of Guide Dogs services and activities, ensuring families know about the full range of support available.

We’re looking for someone with experience in supporting individuals with sight loss and disabilities, who brings an empathetic approach to their work. You should be skilled at identifying needs and signposting to the right services.

The role involves collaborating with health, education, welfare, and social care professionals, so a joined-up approach is essential. Knowledge of eye care health will be key to providing informed support.

We need someone with strong communication and relationship-building skills, able to work independently and as part of a team. Organisational skills and proficiency with IT systems are also essential.

No two people with sight loss are the same, and none of our people are either. So, we are proud to offer a range of person-centred benefits that can support each member of staff in ways that really mean something to them – and show them how much they mean to us. We offer a flexible benefits package, discounts and cashback scheme, a generous holiday allowance and matched contributory pension scheme to care for our people.

How to apply 

Further details on the full role are attached below. When you are ready to apply, submit an online application form via this page. If you require any accessibility support to apply our friendly recruitment team is ready and waiting to help. 

As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description and candidate pack. You will also be asked to complete a few job-specific questions as part of this application process, so please be prepared to write your answers to these questions. 

If you want to know more about the teams who work at Guide Dogs, you can find it on our Careers Page

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are proud, whenever possible, to offer an interview to all candidates that meet our selection criteria, and who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident interview commitment. For more details, visit our careers site.

If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier; in addition, we cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Safeguarding

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment.

At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually, taking into account the nature of the offense, its relevance to the role, and the time that has passed since the incident. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.

Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.

For high volumes of applications, we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than advertised.

Battersea is entering an exciting phase of innovation and transformation as we embark on the first year of our new five-year strategy. With increased investment in income generation starting in 2025, we are expanding our team to drive the growth necessary to achieve our organisational goals. Our fundraising team bridges the journey of the animals in our care with the wider public, demonstrating how their contributions enable us to support every dog and cat. We now have several new roles within this team to further our mission. 

This is a new role working across Battersea’s Income Generation department, in particular Philanthropy, Partnerships and Commercial (PP&C), to help drive income growth and maintain strong funder relationships. 

As part of this role, you will work primarily on information gathering and management, and the creation of inspiring cases for support, funding propositions and impact reports. You will keep fundraisers informed of updates and progress in key projects and areas of work, supporting funder meetings by providing up to date information. You will also help us explore more creative ways of delivering cases for support, funding propositions and impact reports, so that we stand out from other organisations.

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

- 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
- Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
- Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. 

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 30th April 2025
Interview date(s): w/c 12th May 2025

To apply for the role, please click the button below. All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Do you have the expertise to manage complex legacy cases and want to make a meaningful impact?

At Guide Dogs, we are looking for two dedicated Legacy Case Officers to help people with sight loss live the life they choose. In this role, you will provide an accurate and efficient service to process legacies, ensuring they are handled in line with legislation, policy, and best practice. By using your skills, you will contribute to one of our most important income streams, supporting our work in transforming the lives of people with sight loss.

You’ll manage a diverse caseload of pecuniary, residuary, and life interest legacies. You will correspond professionally and sensitively with personal representatives, professional advisers, charity co-beneficiaries, and other stakeholders to resolve legacy cases effectively. Your role will involve preparing briefing notes for Trustees, managing estate and trust account reconciliations, and ensuring that taxes, including Capital Gains, Income, and Inheritance Tax, are handled correctly, safeguarding Guide Dogs’ interests. You’ll also protect Guide Dogs’ position when property or land is involved, securing necessary valuations to achieve the best possible value. Additionally, you will stay up to date with changes in probate, tax, and trust law, ensuring your approach is always in line with the latest regulations and practices.

No two people with sight loss are the same, and none of our people are either. So, we are proud to offer a range of person-centred benefits that can support each member of staff in ways that really mean something to them – and show them how much they mean to us. We offer a flexible benefits package, discounts and cashback scheme, a generous holiday allowance and matched contributory pension scheme to care for our people.

This role will be based on site at our Reading Hub in Burghfield, working closely with the Legacy Team.  You'll be working 28 hours per week. We are looking for you to attend the office at least 2/3 days per week, you will be required to complete a full day on Tuesday to attend a team day, there is flexibility to work your remaining hours across the week.

How to apply 

Further details on the full role are attached below. When you are ready to apply, submit an online application form via this page.

If you require any accessibility support to apply, our friendly recruitment team is ready and waiting to help.

As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description. You will also be asked to complete a few job-specific questions as part of this application process, so please be prepared to write your answers to these questions.

Shortlisting will take place week commencing 28/04/25 with interviews taking place week commencing 05/05/25 in person at our Reading Hub.

If you want to know more about the teams who work at Guide Dogs, you can find it on our Careers Page

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are proud, whenever possible, to offer an interview to all candidates that meet our selection criteria, and who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident interview commitment. For more details, visit our careers site.

If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier; in addition, we cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Safeguarding

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment.

At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually, taking into account the nature of the offense, its relevance to the role, and the time that has passed since the incident. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.

Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.

For high volumes of applications, we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than advertised.

You’re passionate about supporting volunteers and creating a positive experience for those who give their time to make a difference.  You thrive in a role that brings people together and ensures they are set up for success.

As Operations Volunteering Experience Coordinator, you’ll play a key role in ensuring that volunteers in operations-based roles feel valued, prepared, and supported throughout their journey. Working closely with internal teams, you’ll coordinate recruitment, training, and engagement efforts that enhance the volunteer experience and contribute to the smooth running of essential services.

You’ll oversee the flow of volunteers into operations-based roles, ensuring they are matched effectively to support Guide Dogs’ canine, children, and adult services. Working in collaboration with service and volunteering colleagues, you’ll support planning and resource allocation to ensure volunteer programmes align with national and local needs.

By ensuring volunteers receive comprehensive training and induction, you’ll help them build confidence in their roles. You’ll coordinate face-to-face and virtual induction sessions, facilitate ongoing training opportunities, and provide regular communication to ensure volunteers remain engaged and informed.

A key part of your role will involve monitoring and evaluating the volunteer journey, gathering feedback and insights to improve processes and experiences. You’ll manage volunteer data and compliance, ensuring records are accurate and up to date. Additionally, you’ll support the recognition and celebration of volunteers, helping to coordinate award events and initiatives that highlight the incredible contributions of those who give their time.

To excel in this role, you’ll have experience managing and supporting volunteers, ensuring they have a positive and rewarding experience. You’ll be confident in advising on best practices and processes, with the ability to build strong relationships across different teams.

Experience with volunteer management systems, CRM databases (such as Salesforce), and Microsoft Office will be beneficial. A strong understanding of GDPR, safeguarding principles, and best practices in equality, diversity, and inclusion is also essential.

Strong organisation and communication skills will be key, as well as the ability to problem-solve and handle enquiries efficiently. Whether facilitating training, providing advice, or coordinating new volunteer initiatives, you’ll bring a solutions-focused approach to ensure volunteers feel engaged, valued, and equipped for success.

No two people with sight loss are the same, and none of our people are either. So, we are proud to offer a range of person-centred benefits that can support each member of staff in ways that really mean something to them – and show them how much they mean to us. We offer a flexible benefits package, discounts and cashback scheme, a generous holiday allowance and matched contributory pension scheme to care for our people.

This role can be based from our either Sheffield or Nottingham site a minimum of 3-days per week, and occasional travel throughout the region is also needed. This is a full time position working 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Interviews for this role will be held at our Sheffield site and are planned for W/C 19 May 202

The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024

This position is based at our head office in Hayle, Cornwall

We are looking for a new team player to join this high performing team who deal with all incoming requests for help, both by telephone and email, to listen to and record the needs of elderly and/or terminally ill people and their pets.

Where help is required, to raise a computerised record to log the case, task volunteers nationwide by telephone and email to offer assistance to elderly petitioners with the pet care and reassurance needed in order to honour our mission statement of “Peace of mind for owners, love care and safety for their pets”. Liaise with both petitioner and volunteer throughout to ensure the delivery of our service. This post will require a good overall understanding of the needs of elderly people and their pets.

An essential occupational requirement of this role is to participate with on-call midweek evenings and weekends (this will be one full week in five). Together with other members of the on-call team you will participate with on-call on a rota basis to help ensure and maintain our emergency telephone line during these times.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

i. To assist in contacting volunteers nationwide by telephone and email and tasking by telephone as required to help petitioners with their pets.

ii. To listen to the needs of each petitioner and accurately record information for each petitioner and their pet by completion of a computerised case to record volunteers assigned and the service provided.

iii. To ensure you record all of your communications onto the database in an accurate and timely fashion by way of comments on each petitioner case at the end of each conversation.

iv. To help maintain up-to-date records and mailing lists for petitioners, petitioners’ contacts and volunteers throughout the course of your work.

v. To ensure the appropriate delivery and quality of service provided to petitioners when you are handling a request for:-

a) Dog Walking

Task a minimum of two volunteers per case to assist with dog walking. Contact all volunteers after their first dog walk to check and ensure they have started, log all responses onto the database, then complete the case.

b) Home Checks

When a potential long term fosterer is identified, you will be asked to task a volunteer to visit and carry out a home check. Once the completed home check has been received, complete the case – (all home checks will be valid for 12 months).

c) Short Term Fostering (stf)

To initially gather as much information about the pet(s) as you can and how soon a foster is required. Raise a case and log all details onto the database, begin a computerised search for a suitable volunteer to foster, arrange transport, if needed, to take the pet(s) to the volunteer and follow up 24 hours after the pet arrives to ensure all is well. Keep in touch weekly.

If the pet goes home – arrange transport to take the pet back home, again follow up 24 hours after the pet has returned home with a phone call to the petitioner to ensure all is well. If dog walking or any other assistance is needed, raise a new case and task the appropriate volunteers to either dog walk, offer Pet Care, reassure etc.

If the pet(s) goes into long term foster – refer to your line manager, once a decision is made, then follow the protocols for Long Term Fostering see below.

d) Long Term Fostering (ltf)

Raise a Long Term Foster Case, if needed, identify and chat to potential individuals, all of whom must already be home checked, run through the home check with the person to identify any changes, refer to your line manager, once the right individual is selected, arrange transport to take the pet(s) to their new ltf home. Once the pet(s) have arrived, follow up 24 hours later to ensure all is well.

e) Pet Care

When required, task a volunteer to visit a petitioner and offer pet care, whether it is to administer medicine, groom, clean out a litter tray, bird cage, reassure, or any other pet care as agreed with your line manager as this is not an exhaustive list.

f) Talks

To task a volunteer to give a talk, attend an event, or represent The Trust, but, always take advice from your line manager with regard to appropriate volunteers for these tasks.

g) On-call

To ensure delivery of our service by participating in on-call and helping to maintain our emergency telephone line. Together with other members of the on-call team, on a rota basis to help answer on-call emergencies this will be one full week in five – Monday to Monday including the weekend encompassing bank holidays, if applicable. A day in lieu will be given for working bank holidays.

Upon completion of an entire week on-call and following a debrief with your line manager, a rest period of 1 day will be given to you immediately after ie Tuesday.

On-call is for emergencies which will require an urgent response, for example if an ambulance is waiting to take someone to hospital, your urgent response is vital to provide peace of mind for the owner, love care and safety for a frightened bewildered pet.

v. To liaise with all other members of The Trust to help maintain a quality service.

vi. To contribute to the team by helping to update volunteer and petitioner cases in the course of your communications.

vii. To help maintain filing and filing systems related to your work.

viii. To liaise with all other staff of The Trust in a flexible manner.

ix. To liaise with all petitioners and members of the general public in a polite and helpful way.

x. To be familiar with and adhere to procedures and protocols, disciplinary and applicable rules and ensure compliance with legislations (Health and Safety, Data Protection, especially the privacy of members, petitioners and volunteers alike).

xi. At all times to ensure and maintain a compassionate, professional and efficient public image for The Trust.

Together with such additional general duties as the Employer shall reasonably require, having regard to the needs of the Employer’s business as a Charitable Trust.